Opinion: Ergonomics Rules – Right Time

By Charles N. Jeffress

In 1998, 22,000 workers in the trucking industry were sidelined for days or weeks or even months by work-related injuries to muscles, tendons and ligaments. They simply hurt too much to do their jobs. Another 44,000 experienced less serious injuries and were able to stay on the job while recovering.

These injuries, called musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs, are costly to employers as well as painful to workers. The average MSD results in direct costs of $22,500. That means the 22,000 serious injuries led to nearly half a billion dollars in costs for the trucking industry.

When one-third of serious workplace injuries and one-third of workers’ compensation costs involve MSDs, we know we have a problem. And ergonomics is the answer to that problem. As Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman has said, “This is the right thing to do, and the right time to do it.”

Many employers have already begun to address physical stress on the job. Through ergonomics — fitting the job to the worker — they are finding ways to cut down on awkward postures, excessive force, heavy lifting and repetitive motion that can result in injury. In a review of more than 90 case studies, employers who set up ergonomics programs reduced MSDs by an average of 70%. If every trucking firm achieved that level of success, more than 15,000 workers would avoid MSDs and more than $345 million would be saved.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed a flexible, practical ergonomics standard to reduce musculoskeletal disorders such as back strain, tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. OSHA has spent 10 years studying ergonomics, talking with stakeholders, analyzing evidence, reviewing data and sifting ideas and options. We’ve documented hundreds of successful ergonomics programs that prevent injuries, save money and improve productivity. Our proposal is modeled on what employers have told us in the workplaces.

More than 14,000 studies form the scientific underpinnings for this proposal. Two highly regarded organizations, the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, have both analyzed the scientific data and confirmed the link between musculoskeletal disorders and work. We’ve spent 100 days collecting nearly 7,000 public comments on our proposal. During our nine-week public hearing, we will be listening to nearly 1,100 witnesses to gather additional views and information to develop the best possible standard.

Our 10½-page proposal is easy to understand and easy to implement. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, it offers a flexible framework that enables each employer to tailor an appropriate response to hazards at that site. That means that 75% of employers won’t need to do anything unless an injury occurs.

Even when a fix is required, the average cost is $150 per work station each year. Specifically, for trucking companies, we estimate an annual cost to address ergonomics of less than $1,750 per workplace.

Often solutions to mismatches between workers and their tasks are right at hand – simple, easy and inexpensive. Sometimes adjusting the height of a work surface, or using a more appropriate tool or providing lifting equipment is all that’s necessary. The key is to catch problems early, before irreversible damage occurs.

Responsible employers care about their workers. They don’t want their people to get hurt. When workers are injured, they want to help them recover. And valuing workers is what ergonomics is all about.

Musculoskeletal disorders waste time and money. They can wreck bodies and ruin lives. But we can do something about them. And it’s time we do.